Setting Up Your Substack Site so Google Can Find You (aka Google Search Console)
Part 1: Digital Search Controls — Google Search Console vs Google Analytics
Hello everyone!
You may want to read this intro before diving into the post.
This is Part 1 of my 3-part premium series on getting discovered through Google Search.
Today’s post walks you through the key difference between Google Search Console and Google Analytics, and how to set up your site for indexing- step-by-step, with real examples from Substack.
If you're an advanced user, feel free to skip ahead to the Substack-specific caveats section.
Let’s begin by tackling a common area of confusion: the difference between setting up your site on Google Search Console versus Google Analytics.
Think of Google Search Console as showing you how Google sees your site in search results, while Google Analytics reveals how users behave after they arrive.
One tells you how they got to your home, the other shows you what they do once inside!
Let’s take an example.
Suppose you write about life as a writer — specifically, how to write science fiction.
In the case of your Substack (or any other site), you want users to:
Know you exist (“Alien Diaries” — a fictional Substack I set up purely to showcase branding and design.)
Recognize what you write about — e.g., "How an Alien Thinks of Life on Earth", "Buying a Home as an Alien", "Taking the Train"
Find your site anytime someone searches for these themes — aliens, Earth, home buying, trains, extraterrestrial life, etc.
Engage with your content — visit your ‘Buy’ page, subscribe to Alien Diaries, and stick around long enough to understand what you offer.